Another Open World Pokemon Clone Is In Development
TemTem's bombastic release appears to have called open season on the creature catching formula. For two decades, Pokemon was the go-to JRPG for gamers who wanted to befriend and battle monsters. Now that Game Freak has drawn some widespread disappointment from its fanbase over the last few years, other developers are looking to fulfill the wishes of dissatisfied Pokemon fans.
TemTem, an indie game that's been called an outright Pokemon clone, has given players the Pokemon MMO they've wanted for years. Now we have Kindred Fates, an open-world monster-battling RPG that puts its own, rather dark, twist on the usual Pokemon formula.
What is Kindred Fates?
Kindred Fates takes place within "a dark and unforgiving region" where people partner with, you guessed it, monsters. These creatures are called kinfolk and must be battled to be captured. Yes, it sounds a lot like Pokemon, but here's where the game differs and gets a bit dark: your kinfolk can and will be killed. You can revive them, but you have to find their flame before it fades away. Otherwise they're gone forever, memorialized in a shrine.
The kinfolk can talk as well, and seem to take it hard when they lose a member of the team. This makes for a much more mature, bleak game. What's a little less sad, and instead rather cool, is that players can choose what their kinfolk evolve into. There are branching paths that determine what kind of creature they can become. The ability to ride upon them — on land, sea, or air — might effect what form you decide that your little friends should take.
Also note that the combat isn't turn-based, like TemTem or Pokemon: it's all action, controlled by the player themselves.
When will Kindred Fates release?
Here's the thing: Kindred Fates is a Kickstarter project, just now launched. According to developer Skymill Studios, work on the game started back in November 2018. Should the studio reach its funding goal of $50,000, we could expect to see Kindred Fates out around June 2023.
If gamers are willing to throw even more money at the project, there are plenty of stretch goals that add in bonuses like co-op, more kinfolk, and a release on the Nintendo Switch. That requires a whopping $155,000, however.
We'll see if this "love letter to Pokemon" will get popular enough to find full funding.